Wrench



Sept. l2, 1950 D. B. HouGHToN WRENCH Filed Sept. `26. 1947 Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRENCH David B. Houghton, Leslie, Ark. Application September 26, 1947, Serial No. 775,387'

(ICI. 81-90) 1 Claim. 1

This invention appertains to novelty and improvement in a specific type of wrench utilized for working inside of a junction box.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved wrench for working inside of a junction box, said wrench including in its structural makeup a handle connected to a shank which is made in sections, the sections being coupled to' gether by means of a universal joint and one of the sections having a means thereon to hold releasably a disk, the disk being provided, with a concave face constituting a work, for example a nut, engaging surface whereby the nut may be rotated conveniently from the exterior of the junction box to thereby fasten the conduit to the junction box.

Other objects and features of novelty will become apparent, as residing in the details of construction, in following the description of the preferred form of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: l

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a junction box showing one use of the present invention;

Figure 3 is an end View of the invention showing its use with a conventional cable connector element;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an attachment utilized in association with the annular member;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the said attachment; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional vie-w of a typical electrical box with a part of the tool in position to rotate a fastener for conduit joining the box.

Referring in detail to Figure 1, a shank I0 is disclosed `with a suitable handle l2 thereon. A substantially U-shaped member or cage i4 is provided with bifurcations lB thereon. A universal joint connects the said cage i4 and the said shank I0 and is generally indicated at i8. This universal joint is preferably composed of a pitman 20 having reduced extensions 22 and 24, respectively, which are disposed between the bifurcation i6 and bifurcation 26 which are formed at the terminal portion of the said shank l0. Of course, the extensions 22 and 24 are flat-sided, the larger surfaces thereof being at ninety degrees to each other.

An annular member 28 is secured to the said cage i4 by any suitable means, such as welding, brazing or the like, and a plurality of lugs 30 extend therefrom in Spanner wrench fashion. These lugs are engageable with the conventional locking member 32 provided in the conventional cable cla-mp generally indicated at 34.

It will be readily appreciated from an inspection of Figure 2 that the said universal joint renders the assembly and disassembly of cable connectors within the exemplary junction box 36 simple.

An attachment may be utilized in association with the said annular member 28 and lug 30. This attachment is readily ascertainable by inspection of Figures 4 and 5 wherein a disk 38 is provided with a central aperture 456. A portion of this central aperture may be utilized for the purpose of passing the conductor i2 therethrough in using of the tool, as shown in Figure 6. A plurality of recesses irl are provided peripherally on the said disk l36, which are detachably engageable with the lugs 30, and the disk 38 is provided with a concave work engaging recess in one face thereof.

Improved means for retaining the said attachment 39 in the device illustrated in Figure 1 is provided. This improved means may be seen readily in Figure 4 wherein a plurality of resilient strands #i6 extend from the said body member or attachment 38 and which are engageable with the annular member 28. Of course, this is a detachable engagement whereby the said attachment 38 is utilized for certain operations appurtenant to certain conventional cable connectors, as for frictionally engaging a conduit end coupling, used when conduit is used to lead wire to a junction box.

For example, in Figure 6 the box 38 has the conduit 50 extending through an opening in one side thereof. An ordinary outer nut 5'2 is threaded on the conduit 63 and a curved surfaced nut 64 constitutes the inside fastener for the conduit. The disk 33 is so shaped as to fit on the outer surface of the fastener 52 to rotate the fastener 52 with facility.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A tool comprising a shank, a cage, a universal joint connecting said cage and said shank, workgripping means associated with said cage, said means including an annular member having lugs, a disk having recesses therein to seat said lugs, means for detachably securing said disk to said member, said securing means comprising springs secured to said disk frictionally engaging said annular member, and said disk having a concave work engaging recess therein.

DAVID B. HOUG-HTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 680,971 Forster Aug. 20, 1901 906,040 Lucas Dec. 8, 1908 966,130 Schneider Aug. 2, 1910 1,058,295 Faucher Apr. 8, 1913 1,276,953 Parker Aug. 27, 1918 1,498,713 York June 24, 1924 1,500,893 Roberts July 8, 1924 1,972,239 Rose Sept. 4, 1934 2,337,368 Bohler Dec. 21, 1943 

